Thicker Than Water
by adromir
Summary: -COMPLETE!-The Manyan Series continues - Aragorn found out the extent of Legolas's oath to protect him, the hard way...And Legolas's worse nightmare returned to haunt him.
1. Default Chapter

**Summary: Aragorn found out the extent of Legolas's oath to protect him…the hard way.**

**Hello, guys! I'm baaaaaaack!!!!!!! Yes, I know some of you would say, "What?! This crazy girl again?!" Yes. It's me again, having nothing to do except torturing and tormenting Legolas to death! I'm still receiving reviews for my 1st story of the Manyan Series, so I would like to thank you all for that! Now that the Manyan stone is gone, my brother suggested that I named this the 'T Series' because all my stories start with the letter 'T'! (Yeah, very funny. Now go away, you pest!)**

**Warning : Okay, this story is related to 'Trauma'. You should know what to expect. Now read.**

                In the deep silence of the night, several riders were seen approaching the grand gate of Rivendell in great haste. Two of them were sharing one mount; the one riding in the back held tightly to the wounded form in front of him. They all halted in the courtyard just in front of the palace entrance, crying out, "Father! Father!"

                Elrond looked up from he parchment he was reading in his study. _That sounds like the boys. With a slight apprehension, he quickly got up from around the table and rushed downstairs. __What could have possibly happened that makes them cry out in alarm like that?_

                When the lord of Rivendell appeared in the doorway, Aragorn rushed over. "Father! Elrohir's badly hurt!" Elladan was lowering his unconscious twin gently off the horse into Legolas's waiting arms. The prince of Mirkwood had a long bloody gash running down his left forearm but he seemed oblivious to the stinging pain.

                Elrond came near and took his son from the prince. He noticed the bandaged wrapped around Elrohir's chest, soaked with blood. "What happened?" he asked, leading the boys inside as the servants hastened to take care of their mounts.

                "Orcs," Elladan replied, staring anxiously at his brother's too pale face. "Stumbled upon them near the ridges of Garas a hundred leagues from here. And this stupid fool took the arrow that was meant for me!"

                Elladan's voice was heavy with anger but Elrond knew it was not centered on his twin. His eldest son was angry with himself for letting his brother get hurt.

                "I'm not…a stupid fool,…you idiot!!!" Elrohir suddenly spoke indignantly, his voice weak. He'd just regained consciousness in his father's arms and heard clearly what his brother had said.

                "Indeed, you are, you knuckle head!" Elladan fumed. "That was the craziest thing you've ever done! What were you thinking, stepping in front of me like that?!!"

                "It's not crazy!! I've…done it…many times…before, you moron!!!" Elrohir yelled back. Elrond sighed, hugging his son a little tighter to him as they headed for the younger twin's chamber. "Hush, Elrohir. You're hurting yourself more by screaming like this."

                Elrohir groaned, grabbing his chest. "You're…right, father…it hurts…" 

                Elladan's face turned even paler. "You're hurting?" He crowded near in concern. "Hang on, brother. You'll be just fine. Here, grab my hand. That's right. Squeeze it, as hard as you can…Ai!!" Elladan cringed as Elrohir indeed squeezed his hand tightly. Aragorn and Legolas exchanged knowing looks and smiled wanly, shaking their heads. The twins were always at each other's throats, but the deep love between them was obvious.  

                Summoning the servants to bring him the needed medical supplies, Elrond lowered his son onto the bed. Aragorn and Legolas rushed about to gather fresh bandages and blankets while Elladan hovered near his brother's head, refusing to stay away from his twin.

                Despite his father's gentle ministrations, Elrohir couldn't help but groan in agony when the bloodied bandages were taken off him. Elrond frowned at the deep wound. The arrowhead was still buried inside the flesh, the skin around it starting to puss. 

                Before he started his treatment on Elrohir, Elrond looked up and gazed at the other three youngsters who kept crowding over his shoulders. Aragorn had a big gash on his forehead; Elladan sported several bruises on his cheek and a split lip, while Legolas was cradling his injured arm. "I want the three of you to go now and take care of those injuries," he ordered.

                "But father…" Elladan protested.

                "Now." Elrond was adamant.

                At that same time, Arwen burst into the room. "Elrohir!" She ran and knelt down beside her brother. Elrohir smiled feebly. "Hello, there…little star…"

                "Oh, Arwen. Not you too," Elrond sighed. "I can't work if every one of you keeps hovering around like this. Give me room, please! Arwen, take your brothers and Legolas away and look over their wounds. I need some space."

                "But will he be all right, father?" Arwen inquired, clutching Elrohir's hand, tears glistening in her eyes.

                "He will if you all let me treat him in peace."

                Arwen bent down and kissed Elrohir's head. "Get better, you hear me?" She straightened and grabbed the nearest hand, which happened to be Aragorn's, and dragged him away, calling for the others to follow. They obeyed reluctantly. 

***************

            Legolas gazed lovingly at Narasene, Lord Glorfindel's niece and Arwen's best friend, as she cleaned the blood off the long gash on his forearm. _She looked lovelier than ever_. He lifted his other hand and tenderly touched her rosy cheek. "I've missed you."

                She gazed back at him with her beautiful green eyes. As her lips tilted in a soft smile, she replied, "I've missed you too, my lord." 

Narasene gently wrapped a long bandage over the wound, glancing at Legolas's eyes now and then. They first met nearly thirty summers ago, and deeply fallen for each other instantly. But then, Narasene had accompanied Arwen to Lothlorien to study the healing art and medicines. This was the first time after so many years that the couple got to see each other once again.

                Now, they were in Elladan's chamber, which was situated right next to Elrohir's. After Arwen had put some soothing balm over his bruises, Elladan had immediately rushed out to be at his brother's side. Across the room, Elrond's daughter was tending to Aragorn's injuries; their two raven heads very close, whispering between themselves. 

                Legolas looked on the scene in thoughtful silence. He noticed the way Aragorn gently kissed Arwen's hand as she tended to the cut on his head. _I should've known! Legolas thought in shock.__ He really has feelings for Arwen! And she responds back! No wonder Kel had backed away from her. My brother had known that she has her heart set on someone else. _

Legolas's own heart hurt a little as he thought about his brother, Keldarion, who had sailed for the Undying Lands over three months ago. Legolas missed his brother very much. Thankfully, the Rivendell brothers had agreed to spend the remaining autumn season in Mirkwood, giving him company throughout his mourning. Then they all decided to leave for Rivendell before winter sets in, much to King Thranduil's relief. The boys were starting to hit on his nerve with their loud exuberant ways. 

"Tell your father I said good luck," the Mirkwood king had said on the morning of their departure several days ago, which had caused the youngsters to laugh crazily. Then Thranduil had hugged Legolas tightly to him, a little reluctant to part with the only child he had left. 

It was a peaceful and joyful journey…until they reached the ridges of Garas. The small troop had been ambushed by a herd of orcs. There were many of them, about thirty in all. Legolas was the first to sense them, but by the time they'd figured out ways to avoid running into the orcs, the foul creatures were already upon them. The four companions had fought desperately. They had no time to wonder why the orcs roamed near the Rivendell border. Then Elrohir had gotten badly hit. They had broken through the first opening they got and made a mad dash for home.

Legolas looked up at Narasene. "When?" he mouthed, glancing meaningfully at the other engrossed couple. 

Narasene's lips twitched in amusement. "Since last spring, right after Arwen and I returned from Lothlorien. Lord Elrond doesn't know," she mouthed back. Legolas rolled his eyes. _Great. There are going to be fireworks if the lord finds out._

"Didn't I tell you to stay away!" Lord Elrond suddenly appeared in the doorway, dragging his eldest son along with him. Then he stopped short when he saw his daughter in the young man's gentle embrace. The couple instantly sprang apart as if hit by lightning. They stared back at Elrond, blinking in uncertainty.

Elrond frowned but said nothing of it. He pushed Elladan inside and ordered, "Stay here! Do not go in there until I'm finished!"

"But I can help! Please, father, I couldn't bear to hear Elrohir scream when you pulled out that arrowhead…"

"I'll make _you scream if you disobey me!" Elrond then sighed heavily. "I beg you to stay here, Elladan. He's going to be fine. I'll call you when I'm finished. I promise." Glancing at his daughter and Aragorn one last time, the lord left._

There was a long silence after that. Aragorn avoided looking at Elladan while Arwen finished her ministrations on him. Elladan was glaring back at them both, his arms crossed over his chest. A little uncomfortable, Legolas took Narasene's hand and quietly led her out of the room. 

Hand in hand, they went into the palace garden, heading straight for the huge weeping willow tree. It used to be their favorite meeting place…and still was. Sitting down on the ground with their backs against the bark of the tree, Legolas pulled Narasene into his arms. She sighed softly and laid her head on his shoulder, her palm on his steadily beating heart. 

"You looked a little sad, my lord," she said. "Don't worry. Elrohir's going to be fine. Lord Elrond had said so." 

Legolas smiled. She kept calling him that even though he'd asked her to call him by his name, like others did. But he didn't mind, really. Actually, it sounded so nice and affectionate, coming from her delectable mouth. "I know that, Nara. I'm just thinking about Kel."

Narasene looked up. "Kel? Your brother? That's right, I didn't see him. Why is he not with you? You both are inseparable."

Legolas looked down at her, staring deeply into her eyes that shone brilliantly in the dark. "We're already separated, my sweet lady. He has gone sailing over the sea…to the Undying Lands, the Gray Heavens."

Her eyes widened. "When?"

"About three months ago."

"Oh, my love…" She embraced him tighter, understanding his loss. 

They stayed under the tree for a while longer, hidden from other people's eyes by the many sweeping branches (sans the leaves) that danced softly in the night breeze…

TBC… 

**P/s : You know how hopeless I am in my own love life, so please excuse the terrible legomances!!**


	2. 2

**Like always, nice reviews guys! Thanks! By the way, Keldarion sends his regards to you all from the golden beaches of Hawaii. He's enjoying his long break and waiting anxiously to be 'activated'.**

**@Stephanie Lou : Legolas could be a clairvoyant…somehow. He! He!**

**@Erhothwen ; God, you're cruel! I love it! You want angst, you'll get angst but…err…not from her. Not yet. Not in _this_ story! LOL!**

**@The Insane One : You ARE insane but I LOVE you anyway!!**

**I can't answer all questions (though I love to) but I'm saving it all for cliffhangers so keep on reading to know what happen next! …….Yes, I know you all love cliffhangers!!!**

**And to Z, my beta reader, you're the best!**

The next day, Legolas woke up late. It was already noon and he'd missed breakfast. Stretching languidly, he looked around the guest chamber. Then his eyes fell on a tray of food on a small table by the door. There was a bowl of mushroom soup and several slices of whole meal bread, as well as a jug of fresh orange juice. His stomach growled instantly. Legolas smiled; he knew who had prepared the meal for him. _Thank you, Nara._

                Half an hour after that, Legolas stepped into Elrohir's chamber. His friend was wide awake and sitting up, sharing some jokes with his twin. "Legolas! There you are!" Elrohir called out, his cheeks no longer pale. He was indeed recovering very fast. "Sleep late? What did you do with Nara so late last night, hmmm?"

                Elladan smacked his brother's head as Legolas sat down at the foot of the bed, leaning against the bed frame. "That was _very polite_, you nitwit. What he does with his girlfriend is his business!" Elladan admonished amid Legolas's laughter.

                "It was just a simple question!" Elrohir retorted, glaring at his twin.

                "How are you really feeling, Elrohir? You look a lot better than yesterday," Legolas inquired.

                "I feel a lot better, actually. But father had forced me to drink the worst concoction I've ever tasted! I was lucky the arrow was not poisoned. Careless orcs!" Elrohir replied.

                "Right. I'll tell the orcs to be more careful next time. They must make sure all their arrows are poisoned before they shoot at you again!" said Elladan. That made them burst up laughing. Suddenly Elrohir clutched his chest, grimacing in pain. "Oh please don't make me laugh! It hurts!"

                "Serve you right!" Elladan voiced out, reaching down to inspect the bandage. "Don't you ever get between an arrow and me again, you hear me?"

                "Nag, nag, nag. That's all you can do?"

                Legolas stared at the two brothers, feeling a slight pang to see their beautiful close relationship. _I used to have that bond with Kel. But now he's gone._ Mentally shaking himself off that melancholy, he asked, "Where's Estel?"

                The twins looked back at him, identical frowns formed on their identical faces. "I believe he is having a talk with father," Elladan answered. 

                Legolas winced involuntarily. "Your father has no idea about him and Arwen, right?"

                "Not until last night."

                "Neither did I. Arwen and Estel? That thought never cross my mind."

                "Well, you always thought that she had something going on with your brother."

                "Right. How does she take about Kel's departure?"

            "She was pretty calm, no obvious reaction whatsoever. But she's always like that. But I could hear her cry in her chamber last night after I told her about your brother," Elladan said.

            After spending nearly an hour with the twins, Legolas decided to get some fresh air outside. He was just stepping through the archway that led to the garden when Aragorn passed by him with a furious expression on his face. 

                "Estel?" Legolas reached up to grab the man's arm. "What's wrong?"   

                "Everything. Leave me be, Legolas." Aragorn snatched his arm from Legolas's grasp and continued on walking.

                 The prince immediately fell in steps beside him.  "Where are you heading?"

                "The stable. Where does it look like I'm heading?"

                Legolas then noticed the sword strapped to Aragorn's waist and the saddlebags that the man was carrying. "Why?"

                "Why are you asking so many questions? Get away from me, will you?"

                "Not until you tell me what's going on. You had a talk with Lord Elrond, didn't you…about Arwen?"

                "You already knew so why did you ask?"

                "Just tell me what happened. What did he say?"

                Aragorn sighed. He paused at the box that housed his stallion, and closed his eyes as he grabbed hold of the wooden frame. "He told me that Arwen was far above all ordinary men. And that if ever she would wed, it would be to no less a man than the king of restored Gondor." He opened his eyes and glared at the prince. "He thinks I'm not good enough for his daughter!"               

                "He didn't say that, Estel."

                "But that's how _I_ feel!" Aragorn straightened and started to open the box gate. "I'm leaving."

                "Where are you going?"

                "To prove to him that I am the man for his daughter!"

                "You can't leave now!"

                "Why not?"

                "The orcs are still out there!"

                "Good. All the more reason to kill them all and show Elrond my quality."

                Legolas could only look on in dismay as Aragorn saddled his mount and prepared for his ride. The man ignored the elf's plead for reason. He mounted up, kicked his heels and sped off, leaving Legolas crying out desperately, "Estel! Aragorn!"

 The prince shook his head. "Stubborn human!" He ran up to the guest chamber to gather his belongings. After strapping the quiver of arrows to his back, he grabbed the ivory-handled twin blades that used to belong to Keldarion, the ones that his brother had given to him on the day of his departure. Then he snatched his bow and rushed back out the door.

Legolas stopped at Elrohir's room first and saw that both the twins were deeply asleep. Elladan lay on top the blanket beside his brother, his palm placed over Elrohir's chest that rose steadily up and down. Legolas had not the heart to wake them. _They must be still exhausted. _

He slowly backed out, rushed downstairs and went looking for Narasene. He found her in the parlor, doing some needlework. She was quite alarmed to see the look on his face. "What's going on, my lord?"

                "Estel is in one of his unpredictable moods. He had a talk with Lord Elrond and it didn't go well. The human just took off to sulk. I'm going after him."

                Narasene's beautiful face turned a little paler. "Please be careful. I don't know how to say this but…I can feel that something terrible was about to happen."

                Legolas cupped her cheek in one hand. "Everything will be fine, my sweet lady. I'll bring home that stupid human and you can nag us both later." He tenderly kissed her nose then her lips before he took his leave.

**TBC….**

**P/s : Yes, I had quoted Elrond's words to Aragorn directly from Tolkien's. **


	3. 3

**What else can I say except THANK YOU for the wonderful reviews!!!!!!!!!!!! **

**Okay, read on.**

Aragorn had about half an hour lead in front of him but it was not hard for Legolas to trace him.  The man was so immersed in his tantrums that he did not bother to cover his tracks. Legolas was uneasy to discover that Aragorn was heading directly towards the ridge of Garas, the place where they had encountered the orcs yesterday.

                "Stupid, foolish human! You're intentionally looking for this, aren't you?!" he grumbled to himself, imagining his hands around the human's neck, strangling him till he begged for mercy. 

Legolas had known Aragorn since the man was just a tiny little boy. He knew of the man's short temper and various kinds of mood. But Legolas also knew that Aragorn was quick to cool down. Aragorn had matured into a man of thirty-five years; wiser and more intelligent. He'd also become a very respected ranger and a high-skilled sword wielder. There was a certain aura around him that singled him out as an extraordinary man.

Aragorn was indeed extraordinary. He was a king; an exiled king of the lost kingdom of Gondor. Elven blood also ran through his veins that made him appear a little younger than his age. But he was still a human after all; so easy to succumb to feelings and emotions. And right now, he was behaving just like a child would; running away, looking for trouble…and sulking…just because of a wounded pride.

Legolas finally caught up with the man two hours later. Aragorn was letting his mount took a drink by a creek. Sighing in exasperation, he glared as the elf dismounted. "I should've known you would follow me. Stay away, Legolas."

                "I can't, Estel. I've sworn an oath to protect you."

                "Look, I'm an adult now. I don't need your protection anymore, okay? So back off."

                "Why are you so angry?"

                "Who says I'm angry?"

                "Your face tells all. You don't like what Lord Elrond told you?"

                "Is there something to like about being scorned at?"

                "Is that what you think he did? Scorn at you?"

                "He told me I'm not good enough for his daughter!" Aragorn exploded, clenching his fist as he stared hard at the prince. "What? Just because I'm a human I do not deserve Arwen?"

                "You are too brash about this whole matter, Estel. Were those his exact words?"

                "No…but I can get the meaning."

                "Then you've got the wrong idea. He didn't mean it that way."

                "Then what did he really mean, damn it!"

                "Figure it out yourself…_after_ you've cooled down."

                Aragorn rolled his eyes and snorted. "You are not helping me here, _elf."_

                "I thought you don't need my help."

                "Arghh!!!! You're driving me mad!" Aragorn yelled, pulling at his hair. Then he grabbed the reins and mounted. "_I'll_ figure this whole thing out…_after_ I've killed some orcs. I have this sudden craving for blood. Tell _my father I'm going hunting."_

                "Estel…"

                "And stop following me! Just leave me alone!!" By the kick of his heels, the stallion jerked forward and Aragorn sped away. Legolas shook his head in disappointment as he stared at the man's disappearing form. _Talk about stubborn!_

                Then a sudden cry broke through the air. Legolas looked up as a golden bald eagle came flying towards him. The elf prince smiled broadly to see his long time friend. "Hawkeye!"

                The great bird landed on his raised guarded wrist, squawking excitedly in greetings. Legolas chuckled. "Yes, good to see you too, Hawkeye! Where have you been? I thought you've forgotten about me." Legolas crooned to the bird in happiness. It had been almost six months from the last time he had seen the bird. Since Gimli the dwarf had given Hawkeye to Legolas for healing, the bird would come and go at its pleasure; accepting the prince as its new master but still keeping its own freedom at will.

Hawkeye squawked. Legolas sighed, understanding what the bird was telling him. "Yes, Estel is looking for trouble. That stubborn human!" Hawkeye squawked again, much louder than before. 

"I know there are orcs out there, my friend. But that's exactly what Estel wants; to go and kill them!" Legolas climbed atop his own mount. "He told me not to follow him. Do you think I should obey him?"

Hawkeye cried out, shrill and long. Legolas couldn't stop himself from laughing. "That's right! The human should know that I'm a lot more stubborn than he is! Come, Hawkeye. Let's give the man some shadows."

******************

                It had taken Aragorn an hour to reach the ridges of Garas, and another half an hour to find the orcs. The ranger had dismounted and tied his horse to a tree. He was crouching behind some bushes, surveying the scene in front of him. 

The remaining number of the orcs that had attacked them yesterday were occupying an abandoned wooden cabin in the middle of the woods. Aragorn's temper was still boiling and would explode at any second. Venting it all against those orcs would be very productive, or so he thought. 

                He counted and saw only eight; five orcs remained outside while three of them had entered the cabin a few minutes ago. The others must be already dead from yesterday's battle or had scattered away. The orcs roamed the earth aimlessly nowadays and they seemed to be everywhere. The dark force from Mount Doom was heard to be quickly re-arising, calling these orcs from their previous seclusions. The rangers had their hands full with these foul creatures. Patrolling the wild was no longer a mundane chore but a vital way to survive. The orcs destroyed everything in their path, killing at will; humans, elves and hobbits alike.

                Nicking an arrow to his bow, Aragorn looked down the shaft and aimed for one orc that was lounging lazily on top of the roof. Then he let it fly. As the arrow hit the orc on the forehead, the creature screamed shortly before rolling down the roof and landed hard on the ground…right in front of his comrades.

                The other orcs instantly straightened up and drew their swords, crying out in alarm and pointing at the way the arrow had come from. Putting down his bow, Aragorn pulled out his own sword. He swaggered out from behind the bushes and advanced toward the orcs, sneering. "Have fun with us yesterday, did you?"

When they saw him, the orcs cried out again in unison; enraged and excited.

                "Now, let the real battle begins," Aragorn said softly, then he started swinging.

*****************

Legolas could hear the din of battle from a league away. The sound of sword hitting sword and outraged cries cut through the ethereal serenity of the forest. He urged his mount to move faster, cursing Aragorn for his hot-headedness. Hawkeye followed not far above him.

About a hundred yards from the cabin, Legolas dismounted and tethered his mount. He moved on silent feet, approaching the chaotic scene cautiously. His senses were keenly aware of the disturbing presence of the orcs. Then his eyes widened when he caught sight of Aragorn fighting off the orcs all by himself.

"Either he's incredibly brave or totally stupid," the prince said to himself, quite amazed by the man's skill and valor. Several orcs were already dead on the ground. Aragorn was now fighting with three orcs at the same time, brandishing his sword like a maniac.

                Legolas was about to jump forward to lend a hand to his friend when, suddenly, Hawkeye gave out a warning cry. At that same time, Legolas picked up the disturbing evil presence. _Orcs!_ He thought in alarm. _Many of them!_

                The elf watched in horror as more orcs arrived at the scene, advancing towards the now helpless human. Legolas's paled. _Oh, no._

TBC… 

**He! He! Cliffie!!**


	4. 4

**I know you all 'love' that cliffie! Ha! Ha! **

**WARNING : This chapter is NOT for the fainted hearts! I repeat, NOT FOR THE FAINTED HEARTS!! If you hate torture fic, DON'T READ!!!**

Aragorn could not believe it. _More orcs?!_ He pulled viciously at his sword, which he had stabbed through an orc's abdomen. _Where did they come from? _

The orcs were coming at him from every direction now. It was impossible for him to deflect all their blows but Aragorn would not give up. He swung and hit, jumped and kicked. His movements became more frantic as the orcs increased in strength.

Aragorn went stumbling face down to the ground when they knocked him from behind, losing his sword somewhere in the whole confusion. He quickly twisted onto his back and prepared to pummel the orc's face with bare hands. But even before his fists made contact, an arrow came from out of nowhere and stuck itself into the ugly face leering above him. More arrows kept coming, now hitting the other orcs surrounding him.

Without even looking, Aragorn knew that his friend had come to the rescue. Kicking the orc in the groin to get it off him, the man jumped to his feet and grabbed an abandoned sword and started swinging again. He found himself back to back with the elf prince not long after. "Fancy meeting you here," he wheezed. "Didn't I tell you to stay away?!!"

"What? And let you have all the fun?!!!" Legolas responded, brandishing his twin blades in a blur of movements now that his arrows were already spent. The two friends fought side by side desperately, guarding each other's back all the while. The orcs were getting angrier when they couldn't get through the two warriors' strong defense. Still, the orcs had the advantage in numbers. 

Then the inevitable happened. One moment he was stabbing his sword through an orc's heart, the next Aragorn tumbled back onto the ground as intense pain sliced through his thigh. He looked down to see the wide slash made by the enemy's sword, bleeding openly. 

"Estel!" Legolas stood tall over his fallen friend, keeping the orcs at bay. But the creatures were too many and the agile and nimble elf did not have the power to defeat them all. Through his bleary eyes, Aragorn watched in horror as the orcs started to jumped the elf prince simultaneously.

Then his vision went dark…

***************

                It was not a good way to wake up, but wake up he did. Aragorn found himself in the cabin; chained to a beam above his head, his arms stretched to their limits bearing his weight. And the orcs were flogging him, laughing wildly in their crazy mirth. 

When they saw his eyes fluttered open, the orcs stopped the whipping. One of them came closer and roughly grabbed his chin. "Awake, eh? Who are you?"

Aragorn gritted his teeth against the unbearable pain. "What does it matter to you?"

They burst up laughing and hollering. The orc that had asked the question went ballistic, though. He slammed his fist into Aragorn's belly, making the human bend forward as the breath whooshed out of him. He hung there, gasping and groaning.

"Who are you?!! Answer me!!!!"

"I'm called Strider…" Aragorn finally muttered, using one of his many pseudonyms.

"Strider? What kind of a man are you? You killed many of our friends!"

Aragorn grinned stupidly. "I'm your worst nightmare."

The orc lost it. He growled and punched Aragorn on his jaw, again and again. Aragorn didn't care. He welcomed the pain. _This was what I'd been asking for, wasn't it?_ Then his ears perked up when he caught them talking about 'the elf'.

"The elf. Where is he? What have you done to him?" Aragorn whipped his head about, searching for his friend, but he saw no sign of Legolas. "Where's the elf?!!!"

The orc grabbed his chin again. "Shut up, human! He fares no better than you! Think about your own fate while they have fun with him!!"

At that same time, a shrill scream came from behind a closed door of a room at the back of the cabin. Aragorn felt the blood drain off his face. "Legolas!!"

The orc slapped the human repeatedly. "I told you to shut up!"

But the scream came again, louder and longer. Aragorn went crazy with fear for his friend's safety. "Legolas!!!!" He kept calling while the angry orc kept hitting him. Then everything faded to black once more…

*****************

                Aragorn lost track of time. When he came to, he found himself still dangling by the chain in the middle of the cabin. It was dark and he was all alone, but he could hear the orcs moving about outside. There was no sound coming from the back room, though.

                "Legolas?" he called out. No answer. From the way Legolas screamed a while ago, the orcs might be torturing him terribly. Aragorn was quite surprised that the orcs didn't kill them both, then and there. He believed they were keeping him and Legolas alive for their own pleasure; toying and playing blood games with their prisoners.

Immediately Aragorn was filled with deep remorse. His friend would not be harmed like this if not because of him. _Valar! What have I done?_

                He tried to stay awake but the pain was too much. His whole body throbbed and the welts were stinging. His head was pounding terribly. To his absolute dismay, Aragorn slipped back into unconsciousness…

*****************

                Legolas was still wide awake. He could hear Aragorn calling for him but he could not answer. When he had started screaming at the orcs, cursing and swearing at them in his elven tongue, they put a gag in his mouth to shut him up. 

He was lying on the cold floor, shaking horribly. His arms were bound behind his back, the coarse rope biting into his already bloodied flesh and cutting the blood circulation. He was numb all over. Still, he could feel the intense agony all over his body that he whimpered from it. The orcs had brutally beaten him before they whipped the skin off his naked flesh. 

Then his worst nightmare returned. Legolas would never forget the way they hollered and jeered at him as the vile creatures mobbed him. He managed not to cry out, stoically waited for the invasion to stop. But he failed to swallow his scream when they used a wooden stick on him. They stabbed him repeatedly, delighted to hear his keening wails at last. But when the prince turned into a cursing and hissing wildcat in their grasp, they gagged him and beat him up…oddly, leaving the beautiful face untouched. When they left him, Legolas had glared at their retreating backs; his silver eyes gleamed with fury, promising retribution.

But now, he felt himself slowly fading…like the blood that came flowing out and pooled under him…

TBC… 

**OK. Send your death threats now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	5. 5

**Oooooh…interesting reviews, guys! Thanks!!! **

Elrond stared back at the golden bald eagle that perched on the balcony rail right in front of him; his face the mask of great shock and dismay combined. Hawkeye had sought him here, shrieking excitedly as it relayed the terrible news. The lord felt his legs started to tremble in great anxiety. Elrond could not fully understand the bird's cries, but he knew that something bad had happened to the eagle's master. Knowing Legolas, he would not be far from Aragorn. Whatever happened to the prince had also befallen his human son. 

The lord turned and hastily ran inside. He went looking for Elladan and found him, as expected, in Elrohir's room. Arwen and Narasene were also with them. The four of them were deep in conversation about someone; Aragorn most likely from the downcast look on his daughter's face. They stopped talking instantly when Elrond appeared.

"Elladan, gather some of our warriors. We are going into the woods, " Elrond ordered. Elladan immediately stood up, Elrohir following. The lord frowned at his younger son, "No. You're still on the mend. You stay here, Elrohir."

But Elrohir could be as obstinate as a mule. "Make me. Now, can you tell us what's going on, father?"

Elrond hesitated. He saw the worried looks on Arwen's and Narasene's face. Glorfindel's niece had already gone pale. The young maiden had known something bad would turn up. She'd said so when she told him about Legolas running after Aragorn yesterday noon.

"I'm not sure what really happened. But Legolas's pet, Hawkeye, just arrived and had told me that his master is in trouble," he replied.

The younger elves stood unmoving for several seconds when they heard that; stunned and speechless. Then, the twins snapped to attention. Elladan ran out the door to gather the warriors as his father's orders, while Elrohir grabbed his and Elladan's weapons before he, too, rushed out.

Elrond turned to the two remaining young elves. Arwen had tears in her eyes, while Narasene had turned even paler than before. They grabbed at each other's hands, lending support and strength. 

He came forward and pulled his daughter into his arms. "I'll bring him home, my star." Elrond also stared at Narasene, gently touching the maiden's pale cheeks. "I'll bring them both home."

*****************

Aragorn glared at the orcs that surrounded him. Laughing with glee, they poked at the lash marks that covered his torso, making him wince. "Stop that!" he yelled. The orcs laughed even louder and poked at him with even more force. "Stop that, I said!

One of them grabbed his hair and jerked his head backward. "Who do you think you are that makes you believe we'll listen to you?"

Aragorn grimaced. His head was about to explode from the strain. The orc grinned. "What? No answer? Tell me, human. Why is a mortal like you hanging around with an elf?"

"None…of your business!!" The man replied through gritted teeth. 

The orc released him. "Fine. Have it your way. But you and your friend make nice entertainment for us here."

Aragorn was deeply worried about Legolas. He still didn't hear any sound coming from the back room since the last time Legolas screamed. It was two days ago and he was getting more frantic. "What have you done to the elf? Is he dead?"

Laughing like a banshee, the orc answered, "None of your business!!" The other orcs also laughed, catching up the joke. 

"But I'll tell you one thing, human. I like to hear the elf scream! Want to hear it?" Said the orc, advancing towards the back room with determined steps. 

Losing it now, Aragorn yelled, "Release him, damn it! He got nothing to do with me!"

The orc turned around. "Why do you value his life so much when you hang here yourself, completely at our mercy?!"

"I repeat, none of your damn business!!!" Aragorn retorted, grinning like an idiot. The orcs went absolutely furious. They hated to be made like a fool by the man. They used whips on him, hitting him angrily the way they did before. Aragorn succumbed to the painful oblivion. _If this will distract them from hurting Legolas, so be it!_

***************

Unexpectedly, the Rivendell elves encountered a troop of Lothlorien warriors several leagues from the ridges of Garas. Elrond instantly knew that the two missing companions were in deeper trouble than they thought. 

"Haldir! What are you doing here?" Elladan exclaimed before Elrond could say anything.

The Captain of Lothlorien frowned as they exchanged surprised looks. "We are chasing a group of orcs that dared to venture into our woods several days ago. What are _you doing here?"_

"Estel and Legolas are not with us," said Elrohir. "Need I say more?"

Haldir shook his head. "Don't bother. I can get the idea. They're missing?"

"Since two days ago. Hawkeye led us here." Elrond nudged his mount forward. Haldir's eyes widened. "Forgive me, my lord. I wasn't aware of you just now."

Elrond put up a hand. "I understand, Haldir. My sons love to outshine me…like usual." The twins grinned sheepishly to hear that. Elrond continued, "You're chasing orcs, you say?"

"Yes, their tracks led us here. Looks like it heads directly towards the ridge."

"I think that will be the place where we were ambushed before!" Elrohir commented.

Elrond nodded. "If Estel and Legolas are in the orcs' clutches, they would not survive much longer. Let's move on."

*************

Legolas could hear the wild noise outside. _They are hurting him again!_ The prince struggled against his bond, but he was too weak. He was already drained of all energy and the agony was still overpowering him. 

Tears of frustration slipped through his eyes. He cursed his helpless state. _Forgive me, Estel. I've failed you. I've failed you…_

*************

They orcs were having so much fun hurting the human…that they were oblivious to the newcomers. By the time the call of warning was sound, the elves had already surrounded the area.

TBC… 

**More cliffie, anyone?!!!**


	6. 6

**I'm bored…so I'm posting two chapters in one day! This is the 2nd one for today!!!**

Aragorn awoke to a total chaos. Through his blurry vision, he saw the orcs screaming all around him, swinging their swords in frenzy. They were fighting with…_elves? _What the hell…?__

"Estel!" A familiar voice stabbed through his ears a few moments later.

"W…what?" He croaked. "Elrohir?"

"None other." Elrohir hastily loosened the chain that bound his brother. Elladan was holding Aragorn up, cradling the limp form in his strong arms. "Hey there, little brother."

"H…how did you…get here?" Aragorn asked weakly when they bundled him up in a cloak.

"Hawkeye," came Elrond's short reply. He looked down at his human son in concern. Aragorn looked so confused and dazed. When the man opened his mouth again to speak, Elrond told, "Don't talk. Save your strength."

Aragorn shook his head. "Legolas. Back room." He weakly raised his arm and pointed. 

Elrond glanced at the direction. With Haldir and his sons following, he strode to it and halted at the door. Elrond pushed the thick wooden door open. His eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the dark. When he did, he felt the blood drain off his face as he saw the trembling figure bound and gagged in the corner. He turned back to his sons, barring them from entering. "Stay back!"

                The twins were puzzled and started to ask questions. "What? Why, father?"

                 "Is Legolas in there?"

                "I mean it! Stay outside!" Elrond turned to Haldir. "Guard the door, Haldir! Do not let anyone enter!" The Captain of Lothlorien frowned at the urgent note in Elrond's voice, but he complied. As the lord closed the door, Haldir immediately took position in front of it, his arms crossed over his chest. The twins could only watch open mouthed; worried and astonished at the same time. _What had caused father to react that way? Aragorn had already lost consciousness, though._

                "Legolas?" Elrond voiced out softly, kneeling down beside the miserable looking younger elf. Legolas's eyes fluttered open, and stared in confusion at the lord. Elrond gently took the gag off the prince's mouth; his paternal heart broke to pieces as he saw clearly the great extent of Legolas's injuries. Hundreds of welts covered the pale naked body. Strangely, though, Legolas's beautiful face was left unscarred. But worst of all, was the huge pool of blood underneath the elf prince, coming from his most private territory that had obviously been breached brutally. 

                Elrond saw the sharp wooden stick, drenched with elven blood, thrown carelessly across the room…and he saw red. His whole body shook to contain his great fury. _How dare they did this to him! How cruel!!_

                Legolas was looking up at the lord sadly, his eyes glistening with tears of frustration and agony. Elrond reached down to untie the bonds and gently pulled the prince into his arms, rocking him gently like he would his own child. "Oh, Legolas…" To Elrond's absolute relief, Legolas did not go stiff or jerked away from him.

"I'll…b…be fine…m…my lord. I'm…all right," Legolas spoke softly, his lips trembling in pain and deep shock. Elrond could not stop the tears that flowed down his cheeks. 

Taking a deep calming breath, he replied, "Of course, you are." Pulling away, he added, "We are taking you home."

"Estel?"

Elrond was already pulling off his cloak and draped it over the prince. "Don't worry about him. He's hurt but he'll mend." _It's you I'm worried about, young prince_. Elrond looked down at Legolas as the younger elf stared deeply into a corner. "What is it?"

"M…my clothes. They threw them there. C…can you get them…for me…please?" Legolas was a little uneasy to ask the lord to fetch him things. But Elrond complied without comment. He grabbed the tattered tunic and leggings, bringing them to the young elf who was struggling to sit up. Legolas was grimacing with every move, terrible agony stabbing him from inside out.

"You shouldn't…Legolas, lie still," Elrond told him. Legolas didn't heed the lord though. He took the clothes and, painfully, started to get dressed. Shaking his head at the prince's stubbornness, Elrond helped him. Legolas bit his lips to keep himself from crying out in pain when the soft fabric touched the hundred welts all over his body. Grasping Elrond's arms for support, he then shakily got to his feet. "Take us home…my lord…"

Elrond's eyes glistened with tears again as he witnessed the prince's great resilience. _After what they had done to you, you still hold your head high like the regal prince you are. _

Keeping one arm around Legolas's waist, Elrond slowly led the way to the door.

The twins crowded forward as the door opened. "Legolas!!" 

"Hey, guys." Legolas smiled wanly. "You come to rescue me again?"

Elladan and Elrohir were relieved to see their friend walking on his feet. "Thank goodness, you're okay!" Elrohir exclaimed as he pulled his friend into a hug, followed by Elladan. Legolas chuckled softly, holding himself from crying out when they innocently nudged the wounds that covered his body. He looked down at the unconscious Aragorn and his face fell. "Estel? Is he…?"

"He's badly hurt but he still lives. Don't worry, Legolas. He'll be fine after Father treats him," said Elladan, adjusting his hold on Aragorn in his arms. 

Haldir was staring intently at Legolas, up and down. The keen eyes noticed the trail of blood running down Legolas's bare feet. His eyes snapped back towards Elrond, shock and dismay registered clearly in the dark blue orbs. Elrond urgently shook his head, signaling Haldir not to say anything as he realized that the Lothlorien captain instantly knew what the orcs had done to Legolas.

Haldir gritted his teeth, trying very hard to contain his wrath. He whirled and swung his sword towards the nearest orc corpse with all his might, severing the head off its neck. The twins were startled at his sudden movement, but they didn't dare to comment when they caught sight of the great fury on Haldir's face. Legolas, who was leaning for support against Elrond, stared back at Haldir sadly. Somehow, he was not surprised that Haldir knew. 

After taking a deep breath, Haldir turned and pulled Legolas's twin blades from his belt. "Your bow is broken, but I found this in their possession. I suppose you want it back?"

Legolas took the blades, his hand quite unsteady. "Keldarion gave these to me before his departure to the sea. He told me he'd won it from you in a bet." 

Haldir smiled weakly. His heart still hurt after the twins had told him about Keldarion. Never had the Lotlorien elf thought that he would lose his friend this early. 

"We had better take these two home," Elrond said, herding the group outside. He kept his hold around Legolas's waist, as the younger elf was still unsteady on his feet. The other elven warriors were busy cleaning up the mess of the battle; piling up the corpses of the orcs in one spot before setting them all on fire.

Elrohir helped his twin hoist Aragorn up onto the horse. Elladan then mounted up behind his human brother, keeping a protective arm around him so that the ranger would not fall off. Legolas, meanwhile, hesitated briefly beside his mount. Elrond and Haldir looked on anxiously as the prince started to climb up. There was no expression whatsoever on the fair face of the Mirkwood elf, but the other two elves knew the horrible pain he was going through. With Elrond's aid, Legolas had managed to walk out of the cabin, albeit feebly, and the twins didn't suspect anything. They thought Legolas had been badly flogged by the orcs just like Aragorn, nothing more.

They parted with the Lothlorien elves afterwards. Sending a final understanding look towards Legolas's way, Haldir sped off, his fellow comrades following in his wake. Elrond kept near to Legolas's side on the long ride back to Rivendell. The prince sat tall on his mount, his posture straight and graceful, not revealing one tiny bit of the extreme agony he was experiencing. But after thirty leagues, black spots started to appear in front of his vision and there was a strange humming sound buzzing loudly in his ears.

"Father!" Elrohir cried out as he saw Legolas swaying dangerously in his seat. But Elrond had already rushed forward. He arrived just in time to catch Legolas when he toppled off his mount. Gently, Elrond pulled and put the Mirkwood prince in front of him, placing him sideways in favor of Legolas's massive injury. Looking down, he saw that the younger elf was deathly pale, his eyes closed. 

The twins were gazing at their friend in alarm. "What have they done to him, really?" Elladan asked. 

Elrond didn't answer. With an arm wrapped around the unconscious prince and his other hand guiding his mount, he led the troop towards Rivendell at a much faster pace.

TBC… 

**Well, that one is not a cliffie, right?**


	7. 7

**He! He! Nice reviews, guys! I'm glad I'm still alive to post another chapter!**

Elrond's household was in an uproar. Once again, they were roused by the news of the boys arriving in Rivendell, hurt and near death.

Aragorn was groaning with pain as they lowered him onto the bed. He was running a high fever; the wound in his thigh had become infected. Elrond had instructed Arwen and the twins to treat Aragorn's many wounds using crushed athelas and other kinds of elven herbs.

 But he let no one come near Legolas.

Assured that his children were more than capable to look after Aragorn, Elrond focused all his attention on the Mirkwood prince. Legolas had regained consciousness the moment they dismounted. After the lord had deposited him on the bed in the guest chamber, the younger elf stared back at Elrond beseechingly. As he started to fully realize of what had really happened to him, panic began to set in.

Elrond saw this and his heart wrenched in sorrow. "Legolas, I'm neither your father nor your brother," Elrond spoke softly, sitting beside the prince on the bed. "But your wounds are very serious and you're still bleeding heavily. I need to look them over. Do you trust me?"

Legolas took quite a while to ponder before he slowly nodded. Elrond was relieved, but he could see the wild fear in Legolas's eyes. "Would it make it easier if I put you to sleep first?"

The prince nodded again, albeit reluctantly. The elder elf moved then and took a cup of draught already prepared as he'd ordered. He brought it to Legolas's lips, supporting the younger elf up as he gulped it down. Legolas grimaced afterwards. "Is this…the terrible concoction…you forced Elrohir to drink…earlier?" Legolas voiced out, trying to lessen his own nervousness. Elrond couldn't help but smile in amusement. He kept gazing down at Legolas, stroking the prince's elegant brow repeatedly until the young elf grew heavy lidded and slipped into deep oblivion. Then, Elrond immediately set his healing art to work.

***************

"Estel?" 

Aragorn heard the sweet voice, just by his left ear. He fluttered his eyes open and saw Arwen gazing tenderly back at him. "Arwen."

She smiled. "Nice to see you awake, Estel. Here, you need to drink this."

"What is it?"

"Herbal tea."

                Elladan propped him up. Aragorn drank it and immediately gagged. "That's…not…herbal tea!"

                Elrohir was chuckling. "Of course, it's not! It's the terrible draught father had forced me to drink while I was abed several days ago!"

                "Why did…" Aragorn coughed, grimacing in disgust. "…you lie to me?"

                "Would you drink it if I told you the truth?" Arwen asked, lifting her eyebrows.

                Aragorn glared at her. "Definitely not!" He coughed again. "How did father come up with this…this…poison?!"

                "It's something he just discovered. It's a mixture of athelas and a newfound plant that would heal injuries, inside out. From the look of you, you desperately need it!" Elladan answered.

                Aragorn remembered something then. "Legolas? Where is he? How does he fare?" He struggled to get off the bed but the twins held him down. 

                "Don't even think about it!" Elladan admonished.

                "But I want to see him!"

                "You can barely walk!"

                "Then I'll crawl! Please, I need to see him," Aragorn pleaded. "I just want to see if he's okay. They'd hurt him terribly. I can still her him scream…" He broke into tears then. "All because of me. It's all my fault. My fault…"

The others looked at each other uncertainly. Arwen pulled Aragorn into her arms to comfort him, kissing his forehead. "Just rest, Estel. Do not burden yourself any more. You need to rest."

"I will go and see how he's doing," Elladan volunteered. "But you must do as Arwen said. Rest for now. I'm sure Legolas is doing fine."

Quite satisfied with Elladan's words, Aragorn settled his head back onto the pillow. The draught was starting to take effect. Exhausted, he closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

*****************

Narasene stood anxiously outside Legolas's room. She still didn't know the condition Legolas was in. Elrond had been inside with him for many hours now, and not once did the lord come out. Before he locked himself in, Elrond had prohibited anyone from entering, even the twins. 

She was going crazy with worry. _To receive Lord Elrond's full attention,_ _Legolas's injuries must be worse than Aragorn's, though they are not obvious to our eyes. What had really happened to him, besides being whipped?_

"Nara?" She turned when Elladan and Elrohir walked out of Aragorn's chamber down the hall and walked towards her. "Still no news on Legolas?"

Narasene shook her head. "Your father hasn't come out."

The twins exchanged worried looks. It looked like Legolas's injuries were even worse than they thought.

******************

Lord Elrond of Rivendell sat on the edge of the bed beside the sleeping Mirkwood prince; his proud shoulders stoop, his face in his hands, his eyes wet with tears.

He was crying. Unabashedly. Shamelessly. 

                That horrific event that had befallen Legolas nearly thirty years ago had repeated itself...in much ugly turn. Never before had Elrond felt so helpless. Legolas's injuries were indeed very serious. The welts would heal in good time, though. Still, it was the other injury that really gave challenge to Elrond's healing knowledge.

He managed to stop the heavy flow of bleeding after toiling for hours, and then he had to sew the torn flesh up. By the time he finished, Legolas had lost such a large amount of blood that Elrond feared he'd die. He was also worried about Legolas's internal injuries. He hoped that the healing draught and Legolas's own inner healing ability would take care of it. Seeing the great extent of pain they had afflicted on the prince nearly send the lord into wild hysterics, so furious he was with the orcs' doings. 

Unconsciously, his mind drifted off to his wife, Celebrian, who had been tortured in the hands of the orcs many years ago. She was near death when they rescued her. He'd healed her back to health…but not her spirit. She had no more joy living in Middle Earth, so she went sailing over the sea. _Will Legolas received the same fate?_

To see the prince suffering like this, for the sake of the friendship he had with Aragorn, and for the sake of the future of Middle Earth, humbled the lord greatly. _So young and so fragile, yet so wise and so resilient. I wonder how much longer could you hold, how much more could you take? _

                Knockings on the door snapped him to awareness. He hastily wiped the tears off his face, stood up straight and went to open the door. Narasene and his sons stared back at him anxiously. 

"Father? How is Legolas?"

                Elrond forced a smile on his face. "He's resting."

                "May I see him, my lord?" asked Narasene, near tears.

                Elrond shook his head regretfully. "He's deeply asleep. He won't even know you are there."

                "I just want to see how he's doing, my lord. I won't disturb him. Please."

                "All right," Elrond finally gave his consent. "But don't be too long." He pulled the door open wider and let the young elves in. They approached the bed on silent feet, staring at the still figure. Legolas was lying on his side. The blanket was draped over his naked body to his neck; the welts all over his torso needed to heal first before he could put on clothes.

                In spite of her promise not to disturb him, Narasene knelt down near Legolas's head and gently kissed his cool unresponsive lips. Then she gasped in shock when she saw the piles of bloodied towels in a basin on the floor. The twins also stared in horror. 

Elrond cursed himself for his carelessness. He grabbed the basin and pushed it out of sight. "That's enough, children. You've seen him, now go and let him rest."

"But, father, why is there so much blood?" one of the twins asked.

Elrond ignored the question. He held his hand to Narasene, helping her to her feet. After kissing her cheek, he gently pushed her after the twins out of the room. "Why don't you go and simmer the mushroom soup, Nara. Legolas might be hungry when he wakes up. And you boys, keep your eyes on Estel for me. Don't let his fever rise. "

The young elves had no other choice but to obey the lord's orders.

**TBC…**

**I'm being very nice to you guys! See? Not a cliffie! Err…right?**


	8. 8

**You guys are WONDERFUL!!!!! THANK YOU for the nice reviews!!**

**@Pixie Stix : Thank you for pointing that out to me. I'll make an adjustment later on.**

**@Lucy : Your real name is Kimi? You are not Kimi Raikkonen, are you? He! He! By the way, I LOVE him!**

Thranduil's hands trembled as he held the small parchment. He stared back in dismay at Hawkeye who patiently perched on the balcony rail. The eagle had just arrived, bearing the message from Rivendell. 

The Mirkwood king read the message again, hoping that the words would change into something else entirely. He could hardly believe what he was reading.

_'Thranduil, Legolas needs you.'_

At the bottom of the parchment, a sentence was added as an afterthought.

_'It happened again.'_

***************

Elrond entered Aragorn's chamber. His human son was sleeping fitfully, moaning softly under his breath. Sitting down on the bed, Elrond reached forward and touched the ranger's forehead. _The fever has gone_, he sighed in relief. After lying in bed for two days, the man was now recuperating in good speed.

Aragorn stirred then. He blinked as he saw the elf lord hovering over him. "Father?"

Elrond smiled. "Feeling better?"

"I guess so." Aragorn struggled to sit up and Elrond helped put some pillows behind his back for leverage. The man looked at the elven lord abashedly. This is the first time he found himself alone with Elrond after that disastrous day. "Forgive me, father. I had behaved like a child. Again."

"I understand. You were angry."

"I was stupid. When you said that Arwen was far above all ordinary men…"

"You jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"Like I said, I was stupid. I didn't even give you the chance to explain."

"You are always impatient. You need to learn to be more calm, Estel. You are going to rule a kingdom one day, and a brash king will only lead to a disaster."

"_And that if ever Arwen would wed, it would be to no less a man than the king of restored Gondor. That's what you told me. I thought you were saying I'm not worthy enough for her."_

"How could I call my son unworthy, Estel? You are a good man and would make a great king. This I know." Elrond smiled. "What I was trying to say before you abruptly left…"

"Before I took off and ran away, you mean."

"Right. Before you took off and ran away." Elrond chuckled. "What I was trying to say was that you need to take your life one at a time. Your destiny is spread wide in front of you and only you can choose the direction you want to go. It's true; you are a king, but an exiled one, mind you. If you did nothing about it, you'll remain exiled. Gondor is your inheritance, Estel. It's your birthright.  Don't lose it now just because your heart is swayed towards something else."

"You disapprove of my relationship with Arwen, father?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then why do you say Arwen would be a distraction?"

"Did I say that?"

"Err…no. But…"

"You are quick to jump to conclusions, Estel."

"Please, father. Stop speaking in riddles. My brain hurts thinking about it."

"In your case, I'm not sure such organ existed."

Aragorn sent Elrond a dirty look. "Very funny. Now, are you going to explain or what?"

"Like I said, you are impatient." Elrond shook his head. "What I mean is, Arwen is an immortal. She has a long life in front of her. But you, you are a mortal. Your life is too short to be taken for granted. You need to appreciate it a lot more than us. You need to fulfill your destiny in a more limited time. Go for it, Estel, with all your heart. Arwen is not going anywhere. If her love for you is as strong as I suspect, she will wait for you."

"Are you…Is this your way of saying that you approve of our relationship?"

"Did I say that?"

"Father!" Aragorn grumbled in exasperation. Elrond chuckled again before he continued, "She's my daughter, Estel. I want her to be happy. I also want the best for her. If being with you makes her happy, I have nothing to complain about. But as a father, I have to make sure she'll get the best from you. Now you understand what I mean?"

Aragorn nodded. "She deserves the best. I will not see her settle for less, father. I promise you." He went willingly into Lord Elrond's arms, feeling loved and comforted. "Forgive me for being such a fool."

"Be a fool as much as you want, Estel, but don't ever stop being my son."

Aragorn grinned. "Thank you, father." He pulled away and started to ask about Legolas when Elladan walked in. "Father, Lord Thranduil has arrived."

Aragorn frowned as Elrond immediately stood up and headed for the door. "Father? Legolas still lives, doesn't he?"

Elrond paused. "Of course he does. What made you think otherwise?"

"I don't know. I just have this feeling that something grave is plaguing him…from the way you tense whenever I ask about him."

Elrond had to paste a reassuring smile on his face. "He's going to be fine, Estel. Legolas just needs a bit more rest than you for his wounds are a lot more serious."

"What exactly had they done to him?"

The lord still smiled, but sadly now. "It is not my story to tell. Now go back to sleep. You also need to rest." Elrond walked out, leaving Aragorn staring back at Elladan. "What has really happened?"

Elladan sat down beside his human brother. "You also don't know what they did to him?"

Aragorn shook his head. "No. But I could hear him scream. I never heard him scream like that before, it's scary." The two brothers sat together in silence, thinking about their best friend, puzzling over their father's sudden protectiveness towards the Mirkwood prince.

Suddenly, Elladan's eyes widened. He just managed to fully analyze the whole situation and came out with the terrible result. Aragorn was alarmed to see the odd expression on his brother's face. "What?"

Elladan slowly turned towards the man. Anguish was clearly written in the depth of his eyes. "You won't like it, Estel."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think…" Elladan hesitated to tell Aragorn of what he suspected had happened to their friend, but he knew Aragorn would find out about it eventually. "I think I know what they did to Legolas." 

*******************

Legolas woke up to feel someone lovingly stroked his head. He looked up to see his father's beloved face looming above him. The prince then realized that his head was resting on the king's lap. He instantly jerked upright, ignoring the terrible agony that hit him for doing so, and buried his face in his father's chest. 

"Father…" Legolas said brokenly. The tears that he had been keeping at bay for days started to overflow like a waterfall. Thranduil held his sobbing son protectively in his arms, his own cheeks already wet with tears. He crooned non-sense words, rubbing Legolas's back in his effort to comfort the young elf. 

Elrond looked on, misty eyed. Legolas was not his son, but he had begun to love him as he would his own child since many years ago when the prince was still an elfling. He understood the great despair that Thranduil was feeling right now. To have your child at the cruel hands of the orcs was every father's bad dream came true. How Thranduil managed to keep his sanity was beyond him.

It took Legolas nearly half an hour to calm down. He pulled away and gazed at his father. "I'm sorry. I've caused you so much worry and trouble."

Thranduil brushed away his son's tears, shaking his head. "No. Do not be sorry for any of this, Legolas. Things happened. It's not your doing."

"How can I protect Estel if I cannot protect myself?" Legolas said softly. "I am too weak. How can I be of any good to you as the crown prince, as your heir? _I'm the one who should've gone sailing to the Undying Lands, not Kel."_

"No! Legolas," Thranduil cried desperately, pulling his son into his arms once more. "Don't say that!"

"But I've failed, father. I let the same thing happen to me again. I let them hurt Estel after I've sworn an oath to protect him. I've failed…" Legolas throat closed up painfully as another wave of tears overcame him.  

"No, you have not!" Thranduil yelled. Legolas jumped in fright. Sighing, the king hugged his son closer, speaking in a much calmer voice, "You have not failed, Legolas. You still breathe, don't you? And so does your friend. You cannot give up _now. Not when you've survived so much torment and misery."_

"I wish Kel were here…"

"So do I, Legolas," Thranduil replied sadly. "So do I. But he's not here anymore. But if he _were here, he would not want you to immerse yourself in despair, easily defeated. He would want you to fight back…to the end."_

Legolas listened intently to his father's voice in thoughtful silence. He repeated the words in his mind, over and over. _Fight back…to the end…I have not failed for I still breath…Kel wants me to keep fighting…do not admit defeat…to the end…_

"Legolas?" Elrond came forward and touched the young elf's shoulder. The prince looked up and smiled shyly at the Rivendell lord before looking back at Thranduil. 

"I think I'll be fine now, my lord, father," Legolas spoke; his eyes sparkled anew. "They might have destroyed me bodily but not spiritually. I'm still needed here and I won't disappoint those who need me. I won't break, not _that easily. I give you my word."_

Suddenly, the door burst open. Startled, the elves turned and saw Aragorn standing in the doorway, clutching the doorframe for support. Elladan was directly behind him, prepared to catch Aragorn if he lost his footing or balance.

"Estel?" Elrond stood up and watched anxiously as Aragorn limped slowly forward, his eyes fixed on Legolas who was still cuddling near to Thranduil's heart. The man knelt down by the bed and stared deeply into the prince's silver eyes. "Legolas."

"Estel." Legolas nodded back. He was greatly relieved to see his friend back on his feet. "You are all right, then? How do you fare?" 

To everyone's dismay, Aragorn broke into tears. 

"Estel…please, tell us what's wrong. Are you in pain?" Legolas's inquiries only made Aragorn cry harder. Elrond reached down and placed his hand on top of the man's head. "Estel?"

"My pain is nothing compared to yours, Legolas," Aragorn finally answered. "I'm sorry for causing you to be hurt like this! I'm so sorry!!"

Elrond exchanged looks with his eldest son. Elladan was also crying silently, and the Rivendell lord finally understood. Aragorn knew.

"It's not your fault, Estel." Legolas grabbed Aragorn's hand. "Please don't blame yourself so."

"This would not have happened if I had listened to you! We could have avoided all this if I didn't reject your help!" Aragorn returned the pressure of Legolas's grasp. "You might not want to speak to me again after this…just like all those years ago. I was too young to understand what had happened at that time, but only now I know the extent of your ordeal…and it was all because of me. I'm sorry, Legolas. Please don't hate me…"

"Why would I hate you, Estel? You are my friend…and forever you will be." Legolas smiled gently at the man. "And I'll never break my oath to protect you. I swear."

Aragorn stared at the prince for several moments. Then, he reached up and took a knife from the food tray. To the elves' absolute shock, the man used the knife to slice through Legolas's right palm before making the same cut on his own hand. The pain was not unbearable so Legolas only looked on with interest, letting Aragorn have his way.

Clasping their bleeding palms together, merging their blood into one, Aragorn spoke in a firm and steady voice, "I, Aragorn son of Arathorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, pledge myself to protect you, Legolas, the crown prince of Mirkwood, with everything I have; my sword, my life, my heart…and my soul."

Legolas's mouth dropped open as he heard the same words he had given to Aragorn many years ago, but the man wasn't finished. Aragorn released the grip and wiped his bleeding palm against the top of Legolas's head as he simultaneously wiped the prince's bleeding palm against his own raven crown. "You are no longer my friend, dear Legolas," he said gazing into the elf's widened eyes. "You are now my brother."

Then Aragorn stood up and calmly limped out of the room…passing the stunned Elladan near the doorway. For quite a while, there was only loud silence in the air. The elves were staring at one another in amazement. Never had they seen anything like it. 

"He…he can't do that…" Legolas finally spoke. "Can he?"

"I think he already did," Thranduil said, chuckling.

"But he shouldn't! _I'm the one who is supposed to protect __him. Not the other way around!"_

Elrond shook his head, smiling warmly at the confused Mirkwood prince. "Legolas, now that your brother is gone, you also need someone else to protect you. And who better to take the job other than Aragorn, my stubborn human son?"

"But…but how can I protect him…if he vowed to protect _me_?"

"Then you both will protect each other. It's as simple as that!" Elladan interrupted, walking closer with a big goofy grin on his face. "Then Elrohir and I will have more free time on our hands. We don't need to baby-sit you guys anymore!!"

Legolas glared at him. "Very funny, Ell. Aragorn and I do not need babysitters anyway. You insist to tag along wherever we go!"

"Babysitter?" Elrohir suddenly appeared. 

Legolas groaned out loud. "Oh please, not your other half too!"

"Who's talking about babysitter? Whose baby?" Elrohir's eyes widened. "Legolas! Don't tell me you made her pregnant!"

"What?!!!!!!!" Their fathers had already turned purple with extreme shock.

Legolas was pulling his hair in pure agitation. "There's no baby!! And she's not pregnant!!!"

"Who's she?" Thranduil asked, his heart still raced rapidly.

"Lady Nara, Glorfindel's niece. Legolas's girlfriend," Elrond replied lamely.

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yes. I mean, no! I mean…arghh!!…Get away from me you two pea-brained monsters! Look what you've done!" Legolas cried out at the twins, his earlier misery already forgotten. 

Laughing, Elrond pulled Thranduil to come along with him. "I think you boys better stay here. Give the prince some company. Come, Thranduil. You need some refreshments after that long ride."

Thranduil and Elrond were still chuckling after they left the room. "Your boys are something, Elrond," Thranduil commented. Elrond grinned in response. 

When they passed by Aragorn's chamber, Elrond halted. He asked Thranduil to go on to the dining room. "I'll be right behind. This will only take a minute." Thranduil nodded in understanding and moved away. Elrond pushed the door open. He saw Aragorn sitting on the edge of his bed, wrapping his right palm in a bandage. The man looked up as his father walked in.

"You never ceased to amaze me, Estel." Elrond sat down beside his son.

Aragorn smiled feebly. "I should've done it many years ago, father. Legolas has always been my brother in every way. I can't believe he'd suffered through it all for my sake. And to know that he'd suffered it twice…it was unthinkable."

                Elrond grasped Aragorn's shoulder warmly. "It is something that you have to accept, Estel. You'll find out later that Legolas will not be the only one who would willingly sacrifice his own life for you. As a king, this is the truth that you must take whole-heartedly. Your people will gladly die and bleed for you. Nothing can stop that."

TBC… 

**I'm being very, very nice to you! See, no CLIFFIES!!!!**

**P/s : Last chapter tomorrow!!**


	9. 9

**Okay. We now reached the last chapter. Read on.**

Elrohir was staring wide eyed at Legolas. He just found out the whole story from the Mirkwood prince. Legolas had related it all in a calm voice, not going into details but enough to make the twins cringe in horror. 

                "Oh Legolas…" Elrohir voiced out sadly, his eyes brimming with tears. He grabbed Legolas's hand, clinging to it to show his support. Legolas responded with a squeeze. 

"How did you and Estel know, Elladan?" Elrohir asked. "Did father tell you?"

Elladan shook his head. "He said not a word. But I can still recall father's strange reaction at the cabin, then Haldir's going berserk, then the bloodied towels, _everything…so I put two and two together and…you know the rest."_

Elrohir closed his eyes in anguish. "I also saw it all but I never thought it would be like this."

"That's no surprise. You are slow!" Elladan teased.

His twin's eyes flew open. "What?! Who did you call slow, you knucklehead!" 

Legolas could not help but chuckle in amusement as the twins started to shove at each other, before tumbling to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. The brothers' antics were always entertaining, and right now it helped lift his sullen mood. A presence at the opened door made him look up. 

Narasene was staring back at him, her arms laden with a tray of food for the bedridden prince. She hesitated to enter because, before this, she didn't need to walk in, as Lord Elrond would receive the tray at the door. Legolas smiled back at her, calling, "Come on in, Nara."

Assured that Legolas was decent, as she saw him wearing a long nightshirt and with the blanket covering him to his waist, Narasene finally entered. She shyly returned Legolas's smile and placed the tray on a small table beside the bed. As she turned to go, Legolas grabbed her hand, pulling her to sit beside him. "Please. Stay. I've longed to talk to you."

The twins winked at each other. "Okay. We got the message," Elladan said. He grabbed Elrohir by the arm and dragged him away. "Let's go, you slow poke! The lovebirds need to be alone." Snickering like naughty elflings, the twins closed the door on their way out. 

Silence reigned for a full minute. They stared at each other in anticipation, not really sure what to do next. Narasene waited for Legolas to speak, while he pondered on what he wanted to say to her.

"I need to tell you…about what had happened to me," Legolas started, his voice unsteady. He gulped nervously when Narasene kept gazing back at him with those wonderful green eyes. Sensing the prince's uncertainty, she placed her slender fingers lightly over Legolas's lips. "Don't, my lord, if it pains you so much. You don't have to tell me anything. I still love you the way you are."

"But you need to know…for I don't want any secret between us." Legolas kissed her fingertips tenderly. Then he told her.

When he finished, there was silence again…much longer than before. Legolas was looking down at their clasped hands, a little scared to look up at her face; he can't bear to see the disgust or pity there. Then she suddenly stood up, walked briskly away for several paces and stood there rigidly with her back to him, clenching her fists.

Legolas's heart broke. _She despises me! He thought in anguish. __Now that I'm defiled, she loathes to even looking at me! _

"I understand if you hate me now, Nara," he said softly. "I don't blame you if you want this relationship to end…"

"What in Mordor are you talking about?!!" Narasene cried out suddenly as she whirled around and rushed back towards his side. Legolas was stunned to realize that she was actually very angry! Her beautiful eyes glinted dangerously with fury.

"Nara…"

"How can you say that?!"

"I…I thought you would hate me…"

"How can I hate you for the things that were not your doing?"

"I'm no longer pure, Nara. Do you understand what that means?"

"What does it have to do with our relationship?"

"I don't deserve you…"

Narasene cursed. Legolas gaped in astonishment. That's the first time he heard her say those strong offensive words. _If cats had claws and roses had thorns, then Narasene had spunk! _"Err…Nara…"

"That was totally stupid, you know that?!" She was glaring back at him.

"It was?"

"And you're incredibly stupid for thinking that way!"

"I am?"

                She sighed loudly. "My lord, you are so dense!! Whatever happened to you does _not change how I feel about you!"_

                "But…you turned away from me just now…"

                "I was so angry! I still am! I needed to hit on something so badly that I had to get away before I hit you instead!" She lifted her hand and gently brushed through his golden locks. "Pity that the orcs are all dead or I would wield my sword and go after them for what they'd done to you!"

                "Are you, by any chance, good at sword play, my lady?" Legolas grinned back at her.

                "Not as good as you but…" She moved closer, placing her hands on either side of his hips, creating a trap...not that Legolas was keen on going anywhere. Smiling wickedly, she continued, "…I can hold my own. I can even take you as _my prisoner…if you're willing."_

Legolas couldn't stop grinning like a fool. He really liked this new Narasene. "Your prisoner, hmm? For how long?"

"As long as you want to." Her lips were getting closer to his.

"Is that some kind of a hint, my lady?"

She raised her eyebrows. "What do _you_ think?" Then their lips met. Both of them were instantly surrounded by the wonderful sensation that was always there when they kissed…that they were oblivious to the silently opening door.

"Ah…Lady Narasene, I presume," Thranduil's voice came all of a sudden. With a yelp, Narasene jumped out of the bed. Legolas stared back at his father, then closed his eyes and groaned.

"M…my…my lord," Narasene stammered. She hastily picked up last meal's food tray. Bowing slightly to the Mirkwood king with all the gracefulness she could muster while feeling terribly embarrassed, she then quickly walked out of the room as if her skirt was on fire. Thranduil kept staring at her until she vanished from sight, his lips twitching in amusement. "She's indeed your girlfriend, isn't she?"

Legolas groaned again. "Father, don't start."

Thranduil raised his eyebrows. "Start what?"

"Whatever you are thinking right now!"

"Which means?"

"I'm not going to say the word, father. Remember the last time you arranged a bride for Kel? We all ended up as prisoners in our own dungeons!"

Thranduil chuckled. "Oh. _That. Actually, I just have a small talk with Glorfindel when I met him in the dining room just now. He approves of you."_

"He…" Legolas was speechless. _What is father doing?_ "What?!!!"

The king laughed even harder to see the alarmed expression on his son's face. "We'll talk about that later. But first, come clean with me; she's not with child?" Legolas's mouth was hanging open much wider when he heard that bizarre question coming from his father's mouth. He weakly shook his head.

"I guess not," said Thranduil, very amused to see Legolas's stunned expression. "Have you eaten?" Legolas shook his head again, still staring dazedly at the elder elf. Thranduil took the bowl of soup from the tray and took an appreciative sniff. "This smells delicious! She made this?"

Legolas nodded, totally at a lost of what to say.

"Then I approve of her. She'll make a good daughter…and wife."

Legolas couldn't help but groan again. "_Father…!!!_"

Placing the bowl aside, Thranduil pulled his son into his arms. "I'm glad to know that she makes you happy, my son. So glad." 

Legolas smiled, returning his father's warm hug. _To be loved and being in love is one very wonderful feeling_.

****************

It took Legolas another week to recover enough for the ride back to Mirkwood. The winter had just arrived and they needed to reach home before the pass got blocked with snow and frost. 

They all stood in the courtyard now, bidding farewell to the Mirkwood elves. Elrond and Thranduil were exchanging last words by a corner, while the youngsters were surrounding Legolas several feet away.

"Go on, Legolas! Kiss her!" Elrohir teased, pushing the prince towards the blushing Narasene.

"Leave them alone, you idiot!" Elladan grabbed his twin's ear and dragged him away.

"Why? I was just being helpful!" Elrohir whined. Legolas and Narasene had to smile at that. Taking Narasene's hand, Legolas kissed it tenderly and stared into her eyes. "Until next time, my lady."

"Until next time, my lord." She came closer and gently kissed his chin, his nose and then his lips. "You are always my 'prisoner'," she said softly, only for his ears.

Legolas grinned. "My pleasure." He then hugged Arwen, saying, "Look after this stubborn human for me while I'm not here, will you? He's quite a handful!"

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "Me? Handful?" Then he turned serious and stared at the prince directly in the eye. "Have a safe journey, Legolas. Don't get dead."

Legolas chuckled. "I won't." 

The two friends clasped each other's hand in a firm grasp, returning gaze intently.

"Until next time, my brother."

"Yes, brother. Until next time."

THE END 

**Yay! Finito! I hope you all enjoy it, and I'm glad you guys did not murder me! You guys have been awesome! I truly appreciate your support and tips! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**To Z, my beta reader, you're my lifesaver! THANKS!**

**So, as a tradition, here are the ever faithful and loving reviewers: ajkdf; angelbird1224; Aurienia; Biohazard; cheryse; Elven-Spirit; Enigma Jade; Erhothwen; Fairylady; feanen; goblz; grumpy; helena; Holiday; Huan The Wolfhound; Jenny; Kayo; Kirsten; Lady Lenna; LegolasLover2003; LOTRFaith; Lucy; MoonBolt; MoroTheWolfGod; Nikki; Paris; Pixie Stix; PokethePenguin; randomramblings;  Stepahine Lou; szhismine; tapetum lucidum; tbiris; ThE iNsAnE oNe; yeen; Zelda Dragon; Zoya  (no one is left out, I hope!)**

**You guys want Kel back? You have to wait and see! I can't promise you anything but…I might do some crazy stuff in the future!!! (As if I'm not crazy enough! He! He! )**

**COMING SOON : Thunder In The Realm**

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**Until next time (give me 2 weeks), au revoir mellon nin!!!! _(The combination of French and Elvish? That sounds strange but nice, doesn't it?)_**


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